Thursday, April 18, 2024
Fair, 62°Wind: 0.0 mph, N
Welcome to our new web site!
To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.
During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.
2020 has demanded a lot from us. It changed so many aspects of our lives. It has taken away health, jobs, mobility and, yes, lives.
It also presented us a mandate to dig deeper, think differently about how we operate and driven us to new avenues for innovation and operation. Behind these conversations are the leaders of our community, wrestling with an incredibly complex set of factors, as they seek to fulfill their commitment to the missions of their organizations.
The board of directors of The Bridge of Southern New Mexico represents a cross-sector of some of these outstanding leaders. Spanning business, education, economic development and government, they have made tough calls and led superhuman efforts to help our community navigate its way through this challenging time.
While our conversations changed dramatically after March, our work did not. We continue to support increased graduation rates in high school and college and equip people for the best careers in our community to grow and sustain strong economic development. We have far more barriers to overcome now, face greater threats to student learning and graduation, have thousands more in need of viable, sustainable jobs and are waiting eagerly for the time when our economy can recover.
Our community has been blessed to have the leadership we do during this never-to-be-forgotten time. They have been tireless in meeting every new challenge and doing so in partnership with one another. Just a few examples include:
This has been a really tough year, and our leaders have borne a sizable portion of that weight with optimism and a fierce commitment to those they serve. Whatever 2021 brings, this is the group of leaders we, as a community, are fortunate to have.
Before we let this year end, I want to express my deep appreciation for all that they’ve done for us. Thank you to The Bridge Board of Directors:
Dr. Dan Arvizu, chancellor, New Mexico State University
Les Baldock, vice president of operations, Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
Craig Buchanan, market president, US Bank
Joe Bullington, commercialization manager, Jacobs Technologies
Dr. Michael Chavez, superintendent, Hatch Valley Public Schools
Travis Dempsey, superintendent, Gadsden Independent School District
Clay Doyle, vice president of transmission and distribution, El Paso Electric
Chuck McMahon, assistant county manager, Doña Ana County
Mariette Mealor, leadership and professional development, White Sands Missile Range
Debbi Moore, president/CEO, Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce
Albert Parra, corporate director for human resources, Electronic Caregiver
Dr. Susan Brown and Dr. Henrietta Williams Pichon, interim deans, NMSU College of Education
David Maestas and Ifo Pili, interim city manager and city manager, City of Las Cruces
Joshua Orozco, VP Strategic Development, Border Industrial Association
Karin Rios, director of data and analytics, The Borderplex Alliance
Curtis Rosemond, executive director, Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Retired Brig. Gen. Eric Sanchez, director, NMSU Physical Sciences Lab
April Tate and Rick Jackson, CFO/owner, American Document Services
Dr. Monica Torres, president, Doña Ana Community College
Dr. Karen Trujillo, superintendent, Las Cruces Public Schools
Ben Woods, assistant administrator, Mountainview Regional Medical Center
And special thanks to Dr. Michael Morehead, former dean of the NMSU College of Education, who has served as our board chair for 2019-2020 and was a founding member of The Bridge. I am deeply indebted to you, and to all of our members, for the light you shine in dark times.
Because of all of you, I look forward to the recovery and revitalization 2021 will bring.
